Pirates' Mitch Keller: Fades late in Tuesday's win
Rotowire
Keller (9-4) picked up the win in Tuesday's 9-5 victory over the Reds, giving up four runs (three runs) on six hits and three walks over 5.2 innings. He struck out six.
An Oneil Cruz error and a hit by pitch helped load the bases in the third inning, but Keller escaped the jam by striking out Jeimer Candelario and Spencer Steer. The right-hander seemed to run out of gas after that, eventually getting tagged for three runs in the fifth and one more in the sixth as he fell short of his 10th quality start of the season. Keller has still allowed more than three earned runs only once in nine outings since the beginning of May, going 7-1 over that stretch with a 1.85 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 52:12 K:BB through 58.1 innings. He'll look for win No. 10 on the year in his next trip to the mound, which lines up to come at home next week against the Cardinals.
Keller allowed two hits and two walks over seven scoreless innings in a no-decision against the Reds on Wednesday. He struck out seven.
Keller was locked in Wednesday, holding Cincinnati hitless until the fifth inning, ultimately turning in his second scoreless outing in his last three starts. However, Keller wouldn't factor into the decision, as the Pirates couldn't get on the board until Bryan Reynolds homered in the eighth, providing the lone run in a 1-0 victory. Keller's been excellent since the start of May, pitching to a 1.53 ERA over his last eight outings. Overall, the right-hander's 8-4 with a 3.11 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 85:24 K:BB across 15 starts (92.2 innings) this season. Keller will look to keep rolling in his next start, currently scheduled as a rematch with Cincinnati on the road.
Keller (8-4) was charged with the loss after he allowed four runs on eight hits with four strikeouts over six innings Thursday against the Cardinals.
Keller's four earned runs allowed tied a season high, but he still managed to extend a streak of seven straight starts of at least six innings. He gave up a homers to Paul Goldschmidt and Brendan Donovan, making it the first time this season he's allowed multiple long balls in a game. The 28-year-old has a 3.36 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 78:22 K:BB across 85.2 innings this season.
